Morning journal and courier., 1887-11-15
THE CONGREGATIONAL CLUB.

D1scussfon on the American Sunday
opened by Rev. DIR. 1unger-Others
Follow.
The Congregational club held a meeting
last night at the Church of the Redeemer. A
good many of the members were present.
The topic discussed was the American Sun
day. The discussion was opened by Rev.
DR.. Munger
The Sabbath is a human necessity. The
practical man forces it to an issue. In the
first place morality must not be left out.
Philosophy and practice and morality and
conduct must be recognized. The cessa-
ton of labor on the seventh day is a social
law. The practical man knows that the
Sunday excursion trains and boats carry
mobs and not the poor. The transportation
of stock and through freight trains offer per-
picking questions. Shall freight train be
stopped on Sundays 1 am told that they can
be run in this way with view to giving rest
on this day for the roads employees. The
question of through passenger trains offers
another question. Shall the mail trains stop
and not run on Sunday? l see no way out of
it. 1t should be done, not as violation of
the Sabbath, but as necessity.
Capital daily grows more greedy. The
mop OF people SS6k1uR 10 Do dAus6u Is RTOW-
ing larger. The artifciality of society is get
ting higher The day that blocks labor, the
day that is the symbol of ali that is high and
spiritual, is in danger. It is violently OPP
posed by classes that are growing larger.
Here in Connecticut we have better legisla-
ton for the observance of Sunday than any
where else in the country. Trains do not run
here on that day. am told that the rail
road companies are in sympathy with this
day of rest for their employees. understand
that organized efforts are being made by
certain classes to make an appeal to the
State legislature for the repeal of this act.
Deacon Walter Law of the United church
was the next speaker.
The Christian theory of the Sabbath is not
that it is holiday, but day of rest from
all cares All the affairs of the world stop
on Saturday night and should not be affected
on Sunday any more than though there was
NO such day. In this conception lies the
great value of the day in looking to and
thinking of spiritual things.
Those outside the church want it day of
liberty, which they mean shall be the OPEN
ing of saloons, places of amusement, running
of excursion boats and trains and other like
things. They say they have to work all the
other days, and that nature requires amuse-
ment They also think people attend church
for other reason than the worship of God.
Many will sit on the Green here and look at
the fine clothes of the people as they go to
church and at the fine equipages. Is it
strange that these ignorant ones get such d
wrong impression? What is the cause of this
misunderstanding between the two classes
One great cause is the opposition between
secular and sacred. The church has been
dealing with the masses outside st arms
length, through the various societies, and
have not met them face to face. The renting
OF pews makes the church seem very con-
sentative. The people are invited, but they
will not come on account of the church's way
of meeting them.
Rev Mr.. Mulch, Rev. Mr.. Reynolds Of
North Haven and Principal Joseph w. French
took part in the after discussion. Rev. DR..
Twitchell presided